Rectrix Aerodrome Centers wants its still-under-construction Hyannis operation to be among the first in its "network of state-of-the-art facilities throughout the country."

To accomplish that, it is asking the Barnstable Airport Commission to expand its lease to allow its center to become a full-service, fixed-base operator, to include the fueling of jets.

Airport and town officials maintain that the town-operated airport has the exclusive right to sell jet fuel, which provides much of the airport's operating revenue.

At the last airport commission meeting on March 15, Rectrix Aerodrome President Richard Cawley appeared to express his frustration about the lack of progress on his company's request to expand its lease to, among other things, include jet fuel sales. Cawley addressed the commission himself, and also had legal representatives indicate that while they would not like to initiate legal action with the FAA on the matter, that was a possibility. Airport commission chairman Michael Dunning disagreed with some of the assertions made in Cawley's presentation. He also said that it is the airport commission's position that it maintains the exclusive rights to sell fuel at the airport, indicating that there was evidence and FAA support to back that position. He then referred the matter to a number of the commission's subcommittees.

Barnstable's airport commission was scheduled to tour the still-under-construction Rectrix project at the airport Thursday evening. In the proposal to the airport commission, Rectrix offered what Cawley termed a generous revenue-sharing package for any fuel the company would sell. He said that the idea was to provide an offset for lost sales, a plan that Cawley said would be a "win-win" for the company and the airport. Just how much the jet fuel business represents to the airport's bottom line was among the questions to be addressed by the commission's subcommittees. Assistant Town Manager Paul Niedzwiecki told the airport commission two weeks ago that the town would be opposed to any change in operation that could jeopardize the airport's self-sufficiency. The airport is one of four town operations under an enterprise account system, and covers all of its costs without requiring local taxpayer support. The airport also pays for town services it uses, including the federal requirement of increased police coverage at the airport.

Beyond the lease considerations, questions remain about whether a fueling facility could be permitted at the Rectrix site. The airport is within a groundwater protection area for a number of public water supply wells. In 2003, Rectrix was granted an exemption by the Cape Cod Commission from review as a development of regional impact.

At the last airport commission meeting, Dorr Fox, chief regulatory officer with the Cape Cod Commission, said that the DRI exemption was conditioned on the lack of any fueling operations. Fox said that if the company sought to offer such services, the commission maintains jurisdiction and would have to reopen its review.

Airport commissioner Larry Wheatley said that there are two contracts that provide guidance on the issue beyond federal regulations: the lease agreement signed by the company with the airport commission and the DRI exemption provided by the Cape Cod Commission.

On the matter of the lease, which includes language in the addendum that prohibits the private sale of fuel, Cawley said that when the lease was signed, the full 60-page addendum was not provided. Instead six pages of excerpted language dealing with other aspects of the lease were attached. The 43,000-square-foot Hyannis facility is expected to create 18 jobs initially, with the expectation that it could grow as "other opportunities arise at Barnstable Municipal Airport," according to a recent company press release.